> ## Content Index > Fetch the complete content index at: https://www.promptthemarket.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover other available public pages before exploring further. # WPP's Cindy Rose warns clients off pitchless 'CEO handshake' deals - URL: https://www.promptthemarket.com/cindy-rose-pitchless-ceo-handshake-deals/ - Published: 2026-11-01T21:30:00.000Z - Updated: 2026-11-01T21:29:59.000Z - Description: Publicis won PepsiCo's US$1.7 billion media account and LVMH's Asia-Pacific business without a pitch. Rose says such decisions deserve proper due diligence. - Author: Editor News - Tags: Agencies, WPP, Cindy Rose, Publicis, Pitches, #author-james-dore ![James Dore](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e4/01/e4017178-c1da-4131-80aa-35f02cb5b999/content/images/2026/09/james-dore.jpg) By **James Dore** ยท 2026-10-22 TLDR WPP chief executive Cindy Rose has warned clients against awarding agency accounts without a pitch, after Publicis took PepsiCo's US$1.7 billion media account and LVMH's Asia-Pacific media account that way. Publicis boss Arthur Sadoun says clients prefer to examine one partner rather than run a 'big beauty contest'. KEY TAKEAWAYS 01Publicis took PepsiCo's US$1.7 billion media account from Omnicom's OMD without a pitch, then won LVMH's Asia-Pacific media account, held by WPP for nine years, the same way. 02Asked about the trend on WPP's results call, Rose said such decisions 'deserve careful consideration'. 03Rose did not name Publicis. 04WPP sat out Coca-Cola's North American media review to focus on the markets it had already won. 05Arthur Sadoun said a market with three big holding companies makes it easier for clients to pick one partner. ## The warning WPP chief executive Cindy Rose has warned clients against handing out business without a pitch. Asked by a Bank of America analyst on WPP's September-quarter results call about what he called the "pitchless CEO handshake thing", Rose said: "Nobody loves pitching. You are not going to find anybody that says, 'I love pitching.' The cost and burden of the process seems to be increasing."[\[1\]](https://www.adnews.com.au/news/wpp-s-cindy-rose-fights-back-at-pitchless-ceo-handshake-deals?ref=promptthemarket.com) "These are really high-stakes decisions with material business consequences, and they deserve careful consideration," she said. "I do not think we do ourselves any favour as an industry of professionals by encouraging clients to bypass proper due diligence. I think I will leave it at that." She did not name Publicis.[\[1\]](https://www.adnews.com.au/news/wpp-s-cindy-rose-fights-back-at-pitchless-ceo-handshake-deals?ref=promptthemarket.com) ## What prompted it Publicis Groupe took PepsiCo's US$1.7 billion media account from Omnicom's OMD without a pitch, then won LVMH's Asia-Pacific media account the same way, ending WPP's nine-year hold on the luxury group's regional business from January. Publicis chief executive Arthur Sadoun has said the group won three material AI-led transformation assignments this year outside traditional pitch processes.[\[1\]](https://www.adnews.com.au/news/wpp-s-cindy-rose-fights-back-at-pitchless-ceo-handshake-deals?ref=promptthemarket.com) Sadoun told analysts a growing number of clients would rather examine one partner closely than run a months-long "big beauty contest", and that a market with only three big holding companies makes that choice clearer. "Instead of spending months just looking at everyone, they focus on the one they want to work with," he said.[\[1\]](https://www.adnews.com.au/news/wpp-s-cindy-rose-fights-back-at-pitchless-ceo-handshake-deals?ref=promptthemarket.com) ## WPP's own pitch season Rose has just been through a big pitch. WPP retained Coca-Cola's global media business, winning every market it competed for, but did not take part in the North American review. "We made a tough call between spending yet another six weeks pitching for North America versus delivering against what we had already won," Rose said.[\[1\]](https://www.adnews.com.au/news/wpp-s-cindy-rose-fights-back-at-pitchless-ceo-handshake-deals?ref=promptthemarket.com) The comments came as WPP reported revenue less pass-through costs down 2.1% like-for-like in the September quarter and kept its full-year guidance.[\[2\]](https://www.wpp.com/en/news/third-quarter-trading-update-2026?ref=promptthemarket.com) Its Australian business [fell 4.8% in the quarter](https://www.promptthemarket.com/wpp-australia-revenue-falls-september-quarter/). SOURCES & CITATIONS 1. [WPP's Cindy Rose fights back at pitchless 'CEO handshake' deals, AdNews](https://www.adnews.com.au/news/wpp-s-cindy-rose-fights-back-at-pitchless-ceo-handshake-deals?ref=promptthemarket.com) 2. [Third Quarter 2026 Trading Update, WPP](https://www.wpp.com/en/news/third-quarter-trading-update-2026?ref=promptthemarket.com) FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS What did Cindy Rose say about pitchless deals? That they are high-stakes decisions that deserve careful consideration, and that clients should not bypass proper due diligence. Which accounts went without a pitch? PepsiCo's US$1.7 billion media account and LVMH's Asia-Pacific media account, both won by Publicis. Did WPP pitch for Coca-Cola? Yes. It retained Coca-Cola's global media business but sat out the North American review. ![James Dore](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e4/01/e4017178-c1da-4131-80aa-35f02cb5b999/content/images/2026/09/james-dore.jpg) [James Dore](https://www.promptthemarket.com/james-dore/) James Dore is founder and editor of Prompt the Market and Strategy Director at Bushnote, a Sydney strategy, SEO and AI search agency. He has a background in strategy, media and financial services, and led consumer product marketing at MONEYME. He writes on AI search, answer engines, technology policy and media economics.